16 Feb 2017

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Vincent Seretse has implored government procurement officers to source locally manufactured goods and services before considering imports.
Addressing procurement officers at the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD) workshop in Gaborone on Tuesday, Mr Seretse said the role of procurement officers was critical because they are custodians of government budget and leverage on government’s enormous purchasing power to promote production and consumption of locally produced goods and services.
“Let us work together for the benefit of this country. Let us support local manufacturers and service providers,” he said.
Minister Seretse indicated that the ministry and other business development agencies were facilitating development of productive capacity of locally based enterprises.
He noted that the task of growing and diversifying the economy of Botswana depended on joined efforts and commitment in implementing government policies and strategies.
“EDD is one such strategy which has potential to take this country to another level, by assisting locally based enterprises to grow and be productive over the medium to long term, they will be competitive locally, in the region as well as in the International market,” he said.
Minister Seretse stated that EDD was challenged with officers who had complete disregard for government policy and continue to procure from distributors, retailers and foreign based suppliers, using issues of price and quality as a reason for not supporting local manufacturers or claiming that goods were not available locally.
“The implications for not implementing EDD include contribution to the collapse of local manufacturers and denying them the opportunity to learn and grow,” he said.
Assistant minister in the trade ministry, Mr Biggie Butale said if implemented well, the EDD had potential to create jobs, curb unemployment and eradicate poverty given that money would be spent locally.
“Government is anxious to create jobs for everyone. We should get rid of all the impediments in the procurement process,” said Mr Butale.
Also, he said it was the procurement officers’ responsibility to make sure that they implementand monitor all government initiatives aimed at improving the economy, including EDD.
“This can only be achieved through determination, commitment, collaboration and continuous engagement with all the stakeholders including the business community. You should infuse a bit of patriotism. Without it, your work will remain dull, boring and of low quality. If you know that you are working for your nation, you can deliver industrialisation and economic development,” he said.
Thus, he urged them to communicate with suppliers about their desired quality, adding that they should not blacklist suppliers who fail to meet the desired specifications and shut them out for future procurement, but instead, sho them what they were expected to do.
“Businesses should be mentored to ensure that they have the requisite skills needed to meet necessary compliance in the future,” he said.
The workshop aimed at sharing experiences and thoughts on implementation of EDD as well as mapping the way forward. ENDS